lil...you have opened up a subject that will be debated by "old pros" and newbies for eons. The pinchers, pruners, and "all natural" forces can guide you as they may. Providing a very sunny location, watering and feeding...will be the subjects that will make the biggest differences in your tomato adventures. There are just some subjects that boil down to "personal preferences".

Been growing for many years , I usually plant about 30 plants, after eating all we want and giving away as much as others will take, I usually can about 80-100 quarts. What I do:

Make sure they get at least 1 inch of water per week, I water overhead with an oscillating sprinkler.

Others will have different advice. I can tell you that most tomato plants are hardy and with enough water and fertilizer don't require much attention.

I never pinch or prune except to take off bottom stems , keeping plants about 12 inches from the ground.

I fertilize about every 30 days using MG .

I do mulch with straw about 8-10 inches deep.

I move the garden every 3 or 4 years to a new location.

I plant at least 4 different varieties every year.

1. Only done below the first set of blooms, not all blooms. Done to prevent soil contact, splash/disease. Your choice.
2. Your choice to do it or not. Your choice as to when to start doing it but do keep in mind that it can stress the plant more if you wait until they are quite big to remove them. So if you choose to do it, sooner/smaller is better.
3. Your choice. Depends on variety/type, the method of support used, and the spacing.
4. Your choice as long as you don't mind the lost production.

See the pattern? :) It is all your choice as long as you understand that it is not required for any reason, simply an option available to you. Try both - pruning and not pruning - and learn the advantages and disadvantages of both. That way you see which works best for you..

5. That depends on many things. A general guide - follow the recommended application schedule on the label of the fertilizer you choose to lose.

Personal opinion: since my goal is the most production possible, I use cages, I do not prune at all except for any branches touching the ground, and would never top a plant.

Dave

Fireduck...No wonder I was confused lol!!

DB and Dave...you're the pros and I like your methods....au natural it will be!

Thanks a bunch.

Vickie

I pinch off all suckers to allow more sun and air through plant, Less diseases, Less tomatoes but bigger an better tomatoes, Pinch everything off from ground to 12 inches up plant, I pinch off whenever I see them, I never top off, Fertilize about every 2 weeks with MG tomatoe feed, My plants are in cages.

Thank you all.

Seysonn you are quite the character lol thanks!